Carl and Margie Bauer moved to South Florida 11 years ago, a little bit after hurricane Andrew. Carl had worked for Dow Chemical, overseas, for most of his life, and moved to Miami to be Human Resources Director for Latin America. The Bauers bought a home built on 1 acre in what is now Pinecrest. The house, beat up by the storm but not in too bad shape. The yard, well we all know what Andrew did to us.

Bauer means farmer in German and Carl has such an affinity for gardening that he has earned the title “Master Gardener” from the State of Florida. Having lived in Europe (Holland), Texas and up north, Carl an Margie had gotten a lot of gardening experience in climates different from our own. So when they got here, they started volunteering at Fairchild to learn more about gardening in Miami. Working as the tram driver and not even knowing what a Bromeliad was, they met the Princes. Moyna Prince gave Margie Bauer six bossa novas. 10 years after, there are more than a hundred climbing what I think is a Chinese Fan Palm and not a Palmetto. On the website is a wallpaper of a close up of this beautifully variegated plant.
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, author of The Yearling, says that hammock is an Indian word for “island of trees”. These risings in the land stand only 6" above the water but that is enough for animals trees and Indians to choose these spots to dwell in because they are dry. Carl didn’t know it when he bought the house but it contained a Hammock. Five years after they moved in, Carl was informed that the Hammock needed to be cleaned out every year or so. So it was and now in it’s shade butterflies and bromeliads flourish. I can’t tell you how many Zebra Longwing Butterflies and other fauna do live in this Hammock, it’s a treasure.
Carl plants Coontie cycads, which are the only native cycad, to feed Atallah butterflies. Carl has many, but not too many, bromeliads growing on his trees. Examples are Aechmea Bert in an Avocado tree, Fireballs on a palm, Aechmea Rubins on a palm. In addition to bromeliads Carl grows fruits and has a vegetable garden. His fruit trees include Persian Lime (sweet yeqr round), Papayas(Jamaican red), Ruby Red Grapefruit, Meyer Lemon, Jaba Tacabo (a Brazilian fruit, that tastes like vanilla pudding).To grow tomatoes Carl’s uses an interesting technique. Since nematodes are the chief enemy of tomatoes (they eat the roots). Carl grows his plants in a raised bed and in $1 bags of dirt. The plastic bags are closed on the bottom preventing the nematodes from entering the growing medium of the tomato. Carl just cuts an X on the top of the bag and lets the tomato grow there.

The Bauers have done a great job with both the exterior and interior of their homes. I first got to see their home when they hosted the BSSF to o pre-show brunch. I don’t have the room to show you the pictures of Margie’s work space overlooking a bromeliad bed or Carl’s wood panneled study in this publication. But, on the web there will soon be a new section of the BSSF webpage titled BSSF Home and Garden. Look there for lots more picures and commentary. Thanks to Carl and Margie for letting me debut this feature using their home.

Carls said to me that he joined the BSSF because he really liked the people. Thats why I joined too.

I hope this feature helps us all get to know the membership better.

Having lived in Holland the Bauers chose to have a "dutch" door installed for their front door.

A dutch door is split into a top and bottom where each part opens individually. They couldn't buy one as all the ones they found were interior doors. So they had it made custom.

And this is their great knocker.

Carl and Margie Bauer on their patio

bossa nova climbing the palm.

Moyna Prince gave the Bauer's 6 plants ant this is what grew

In Full Light!

Aechmea Rubins

 

 

Mixed Bromeliad Bed
That plant with the great flower that only lasts 3 days
 
 
 
The Hammock
Spanish Moss
 
 
bossa nova
bossa nova
The Orchid from the Orchid Thief.
Carl and his wedding flowers
Coontie Cycad
Neo
St. Francis
Panorama of the backyard
Carl out back
Tomatoes growing in sealed soil bags. This protects them from nematodes
Firecrackers, ready for the 4th of Judy
Staghorn Ferns and Bromeliads climbing a Chinese Fan Palm
Attallah Butterfly Pupia
Margie doing her NY Times crossword puzzle

What a great idea! A Tillansia wreath

Micheal's has a 2 for $5.00 special on grape vine wreaths
Guest Bedroom
Margie's Work Space
Carl's Study and Hunting trophies
Grand Pa Dear

 

 

Look its THE BOOK
Master Bedroom
Margie's Proud Kitchen

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